The Idea
The idea of producing smooking-wood came to my mind 2 months ago. I have a small coppiced-chestnut-wood, 3,2 acres (1,3 Hectares). There is a dense population of chestnuts stumps, and each one has dozens of trees of different age. Every ten years a coppiced-wood needs to be cut in order to start a new vegetative cycle.
![]()
Motivations
Usually 99% of this trees are turned into firewood or fence-posts. But I thought: "There must been a more noble way to use this nice trees!". So since I love smoking food with chestnut logs - and this kind of trees are totally missing in many areas of the world - I thought it could be a great idea making chestnuts-woodchips and sell them worldwide through the Internet.
Smoking Qualities
Chestnut wood produces a medium weight nutty smoke, its coaling qualities are also medium. It gives the smoked meat very nice red colour and quite a unique characteristic taste. Use it to smoke fish, all meats, cheese and also vegetables. Can be successfully mixed with other woods.
![]()
What I Need for the Start-Up
ITEM /SERVICE COST IN €
|
Professional
Wood Chipper (wood chipping machine) |
5.300 |
15 Kg of
Plastic Bags to create the selling packages |
900 |
Plastic
bag sealer |
45 |
5000
Sticker labels for packaging in 3 languages (English, Spanish Italian) |
750 |
Web Site
with "Online Selling Section" in three languages (English, Spanish,
Italian) |
550 |
Registration
and Administration fees at the Chamber of Commerce. |
230 |
Total
without VAT |
7.775 |
Italian VAT 22% |
1.710 |
Total needed |
9.486 |
![]()
The Impact
The business is 100% eco-friendly and gives a second life to thousands of chestnuts trees, they have to be cut anyway because they grow in a coppice-forest. Moreover this business will have a positive impact on the surroundings and it will offer a new way to use this kind of wood.
For the smoking-food-lovers overseas this is a great chance to discover a new flavour. Chestnut wood can be succesfully mixed with other kind of wood and the possible combinations are huge.
Risks & Challenges
The risk is almost close to ZERO, since I already own all the raw material I need. According to my calculation, with the current production I am able to sell 150-170 Tons of wood in the next three years. While I will be using the current biomass, a new vegetative growing cycle will bring new plants to maturation.
After 3 or 4 years I will probably need to buy a new piece of land. Chestnut forests are very common in my area and they are affordable.
![]()
Some Rewards include Pyrography Works:
![]()
Some Rewards include Chestnut Leaves for herbal-infusions:![]()